Church By-Laws

ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1
GENERAL

This is a sovereign and democratic Baptist church under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the exclusive right of self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.

SECTION 2
CANDIDACY

Any person may offer themselves as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:

1. By profession of faith and for baptism by immersion.
2. By promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church.
3. By personal statement, satisfactory to the church, that the person comes from
another Christian church and was baptized by immersion as a believer, trusting in
the grace of God alone for salvation. Acceptance of a candidate for membership
would be contingent upon recommendation by the pastor or by another group as
designated by the church.
4. By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism by
immersion when membership has lapsed, terminated, been lost, or when no letter
is otherwise obtainable.

 

Should there be any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the pastor for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within thirty (30) days. A three-fourths (3/4) vote of those church members (eligible to vote pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of these By-laws) present and voting shall be required to elect such candidates to membership.

SECTION 3
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Every member of the church is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions
submitted to the church at a regular or special business meeting, provided the member is present. Every member of the church may participate in the ordinances of the church as administered by the church.

SECTION 4
TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

Membership shall be terminated in the following ways:
1. Death
2. Granting a letter to another Baptist church
3. Ensure (upon request in writing or proof of membership in a church of another
denomination)
4. Exclusion by action of this church.

SECTION 5
WATCHCARE

Those Christians who wish to enter into the love and fellowship of the church and will support the objectives of the church but cannot qualify, or choose not to qualify, for membership will be designated as coming under the watchcare of the church.

 

These Christians are to be encompassed in all the life and love of the church, except for voting and for holding offices or positions of doctrinal and/or policy-making responsibilities.

SECTION 6
DISCIPLINE

It shall be the practice of this church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to assist any troubled member. The pastor, other members of the church staff, and deacons are available for counsel and guidance. The attitude of members toward one another shall be guided by a concern for redemption rather than punishment. Should some serious condition exist, which would cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, every reasonable measure should be taken by the pastor, the deacons, and/or church council to resolve the problem. All such proceedings shall be pervaded
by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance. Should it be determined that the welfare of the church will be best served by the exclusion of a member, the church may exclude such member by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the voting members present at a properly called special business meeting called for this purpose.

Any person whose membership has been terminated for any reason, which has made it necessary for the church to exclude that person, may upon that persons request be restored to membership by a vote of the church upon evidence of that persons repentance and reformation.